Coupled human-natural systems



Ecological and social domains are truly one integrated system with complex interactions and feedbacks


Human survival depends on thriving ecosystems and ecosystem health now depends on the choice humans make

Coupled human-natural systems



Ecological and social domains are truly one integrated system with complex interactions and feedbacks


Successful biodiversity conservation will require addressing needs and inequities in human societies

Coupled human-natural systems



Ecological and social domains are truly one integrated system with complex interactions and feedbacks


Successful biodiversity conservation will require addressing needs and inequities in human societies


And successful social reform and sustainable futures for humans will require biodiversity conservation

Coupled human-natural systems

So many creative solutions are possible

Coupled human-natural systems

So many creative solutions are possible but they require commitment from, interaction between, and honoring of…

How can people support biodiversity conservation?


  • Individuals, as:
    • consumers
    • funders
    • practitioners
    • activists
    • frequency holders


  • Policy actors, through:
    • fisheries governance
    • endangered species legislation
    • international climate treaties
    • international debt-for-nature swaps
  • Collectives, through:
    • ecotourism
    • sustainable food production
    • cradle-to-cradle manufacturing

How can people support biodiversity conservation?


Through …

the things we do

and

the ways we be

Extinction class sessions


  • What are some of the root causes of extinction?
    • Exploitation
    • Capitalism
    • Economic inequality


  • What are the root causes of these behaviors and social structures?
    • Greed
    • Fear
    • Feeling of lack
    • Feeling of separation

Extinction class sessions








What other effects do these root causes have?

Root causes affect everything


The same extract and deplete mentality is impacting our planet, biosphere, social, emotional, and educational systems…

Root causes affect everything


The same extract and deplete mentality is impacting our planet, biosphere, social, emotional, and educational systems…















This is painful….every one of us has a direct personal relationship to at least one of these issues

The world feels like it’s ablaze


Like it’s been in the oven too long and the edges are all burnt and taste like charcoal




How do we manage our mental fire?

How do manage aspects of our society that are to hot to touch?

How do prevent nature from turning into ash?





We don’t have 10,000 problems, we have a foundational problem with 10,000 faces

Root causes affect everything




So what is the medicine?



THOUGHTS?

Connect to the pain




Don’t bypass pain


It doesn’t need to be avoided or indulged but it needs to be acknowledged


Even in college classes


By acknowledging it we can learn how to deal with it and how to make appropriate actions in the future to alter the root cause

The underlying deep caring




Reinforce the truth: that things wouldn’t be depressing if we didn’t care deeply



Connecting to deep caring is totally different than a false “finding the silver lining”


For example, this object in this picture could be reversed

The action that wants to emerge from the caring




Support actions that come organically from caring rather than guilt


We are desperate for solutions but we keep being fed the same external ideas


Root causes affect everything….But now we constantly have real-time opportunities to practice this paradigm

Root causes affect everything but can be addressed anywhere




We can explore personal or collective action anywhere


And this action doesn’t have to be a fight against something

Linking internal and external solutions

And we can address root causes in small daily ways:

Linking internal and external solutions


And we can address root causes in small daily ways:


What could we ask Shepherd to do better everyday?

Root causes affect everything but can be addressed anywhere


On a particular branch?


On a particular level?
individual
collective
policy actor


In a particular way?
internal
external


On a particular root?

Where do you feel drawn to contribute?


Is individual action pointless in the face of climate change? Let’s not beat around the bush…















“I think this is one of the great moral challenges of the 21st Century, perhaps the greatest moral challenge”, he says. “If we are not acting, we are endangering everyone who is alive now and also future generations.” Peter Singer of Princeton University